Seating systems for motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of seating systems for motor vehicles facilitate two-dimensional movement of a seat in a horizontal plane. The seating systems can also facilitate vertical movement of the seat. The seating systems are motorized, and can be automatically controlled so that minimal movement and effort are required on the part of the user to enter and exit the vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/026,216, (pending) filed on Feb. 5, 2008, which in turn claims thepriority benefit to U.S. provisional application No. 60/900,001, filedFeb. 6, 2007; and U.S. provisional application No. 60/947,748, filedJul. 3, 2007. The contents of these applications are incorporated byreference herein in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present embodiments relate to seats for use in motor vehicles suchas, but not limited to automobiles, vans, pickup trucks, and buses. Theseats articulate to assist mobility-impaired individuals in entering andexiting the motor vehicles.

BACKGROUND

Mobility-impaired individuals are often transported in motor vehicleswhile the individual is seated in a power chair or otherpersonal-transportation vehicle. Transporting an individual in thismanner, however, presents various disadvantages. For example, extensivestructural modifications to the motor vehicle are usually required toaccommodate the mobility-impaired individual and the power chair. Therequired modifications can include lowering the floor of the motorvehicle, raising the vehicle's roof, etc. Modifying a motor vehicle inthis manner can generate a considerable expense to the vehicle's owneror user. Moreover, because the motor vehicle undergoes specializedstructural modifications, its open market resale value can bedramatically reduced. In some cases, the resale value may be reduced tozero due to the absence of a sizable market for such“handicapped-modified” vehicles.

Moreover, the current procedures may not provide the thirty mile perhour frontal crash protection provided by most, if not all originalequipment manufacturer (OEM) automotive seats. In particular, powerchairs are not designed or constructed to withstand the 18-20 g impactloads created during standard automotive crash tests, and subjecting apower chair to such loads will cause the seat back of the chair to failin virtually all cases.

A need therefore exists for a motor-vehicle seat that accommodates amobility-impaired user and permits the user to enter and exit the motorvehicle with minimal movement and effort, while meeting the applicablecrashworthiness requirements.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of seating systems for motor vehicles facilitatetwo-dimensional movement of a seat in a horizontal plane. The seatingsystems can also facilitate vertical movement of the seat. The seatingsystems are motorized, and can be automatically controlled so thatminimal movement and effort are required on the part of the user toenter and exit the vehicle. The seating systems can include a dockingmechanism that secures the seat in position within the motor vehicle ina crashworthy manner.

Embodiments of seating systems comprise a frame mountable on a mountingsurface within a motor vehicle; a carriage assembly mounted on the frameand translating linearly in relation to the frame; a base assemblymounted on the carriage assembly and rotating in relation to thecarriage assembly; a trolley assembly mounted on the base assembly andtranslating linearly in relation to the base assembly; and a seatmounted on the trolley assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofpreferred embodiments, are better understood when read in conjunctionwith the appended drawings. The drawings are presented for illustrativepurposes only, and the scope of the appended claims is not limited tothe specific embodiments shown in the drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a side perspective view of an embodiment of an articulatingseat system, depicting a seat of the system in a forward, dockedposition;

FIG. 1B is a side view of the system shown in FIG. 1A, depicting theseat in a rearward, undocked position;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B installedin a motorized vehicle, depicting the seat in a rearward position androtated approximately ninety degrees from the position depicted in FIG.1B;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-2, depicting theseat in the orientation depicted in FIG. 2 and exiting the motorvehicle;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-3, depicting theseat in the orientation depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 and in a lowerposition outside of the motor vehicle;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-3, with the seatof the system removed for purposes of illustration and a base assemblyof the system in a partially-rotated position;

FIG. 6A is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of thesystem shown in FIGS. 1A-5 configured for rearward docking, depictingthe seat of the system in a forward, partially-rotated position;

FIGS. 6B-6D are top views of the system shown in FIG. 6A, with the seatof the system removed for purposes of illustration and depicting theseat being retracted on a manual basis;

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5,depicting the seat of the system in its rearward, undocked position androtated as depicted in FIGS. 2-4, and with a base pan of the systemremoved for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5 and 7, depictingthe seat of the system in its rearward, undocked position, and with abase pan of the system removed for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5, 7,and 8, with the seat and a base assembly of the system removed forpurposes of illustration;

FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5and 7-9, depicting the seat in its rearward, undocked position;

FIG. 11 is a side perspective view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5 and7-10, depicting the seat in its rearward, undocked position, and with abase pan of the system removed for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5 and 7-11, withthe seat and base pan of the system removed and depicting a trolleyassembly of the system in a rearward position;

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5 and7-12, with the seat of the system removed, and depicting the trolleyassembly in a rearward position and rotated approximately ninety degreesfrom the position depicted in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5 and7-13, depicting the seat of the system in its rearward, un-dockedposition;

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5 and 7-14,depicting the seat of the system in its rearward, un-docked position;

FIGS. 16-18 are top perspective views of the alternative embodimentshown in FIGS. 6A-6D, with a seat of the system is removed for purposesof illustration, and a base assembly of the system is in apartially-rotated position;

FIG. 19 depicts various types of motor vehicles in which the systemsshown in FIGS. 1-18 can be installed, showing the various possiblelocations for the systems within the vehicles;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram depicting various electronic and electricalcomponents of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5 and 7-15;

FIG. 21 is a UML state diagram depicting depicts the generalarchitecture of the firmware of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5, 7-15,and 20;

FIGS. 22 and 23 are top perspective view of the system shown in FIGS.1A-5, 7-15, 20, and 21, with the seat of the system removed for purposesof illustration, and depicting a wire-management sub-system of thesystem;

FIGS. 24-27 depict a process by which a cable is spliced between wiringand an electrical connector of an OEM seat used as part of the systemshown in FIGS. 1A-5, 7-15, and 20-23; and

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the system shown in FIGS. 1A-5, 7-15,and 20-23, with an external computing device and a manual-controlpendant connected thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The figures depict an embodiment of an articulating seat system 10. Thesystem 10 can be used in a motor vehicle 12. The motor vehicle 10 isdepicted in FIGS. 2-4 and 19. The motor vehicle 12 can be, for example,an automobile, a van, a pickup truck, a bus, etc.

The system 10 includes a seat 14. The OEM seat of the motor vehicle 12can be used as the seat 14, after any required modifications have beenmade thereto to permit the OEM seat to interface with the remainder ofthe system 10. Alternatively, an aftermarket seat can be used as theseat 14, after being modified as required to permit the aftermarket seatto interface with the remainder of the system 10.

The system 10 is configured to move the seat 14 between positions insideand outside of the motor vehicle 12, so that the individual using theseat 14 can enter and exit the motor vehicle 12 with minimal effort andmovement. The seat 14 can be used, for example, to assist amobility-impaired individual in transferring between the seat 14 and apower chair, wheelchair, scooter, ultra-light, etc. positioned next tothe motor vehicle 12.

The system 10 includes a mounting frame 30 comprising a base plate 32,as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The base plate 32 is securely mounted on afloorboard or other suitable mounting surface of the motor vehicle 12,using a suitable means such as fasteners. The fasteners are accommodatedby slots 33 formed in the base plate 32 and shown in FIG. 9. The use ofmultiple slots 33 provides the installer with flexibility in placing thebase plate 32 at an optimal location on the mounting surface of themotor vehicle 12.

The mounting frame 30 also includes two track assemblies 36 mounted onopposing sides of the base plate 32 via spacers 38, as shown in FIGS.1A, 1B, 7, and 8. One of the track assemblies 36 includes a traversegear rack 40.

The system 10 also includes a carriage assembly 50 movably mounted onthe mounting frame 30, as shown in FIG. 5. The carriage assembly 50includes braces 53, side plates 51 secured to the braces 53, andbearings 52 mounted on the side plates 51 so that the bearings 52 canrotate in relation to the side plates 51. The bearings 52 are disposedwithin channels 53 defined by the track assemblies 36, so that thecarriage assembly 50 can translate in relation to the mounting frame 30by rolling on the bearings 52. The carriage assembly 50, and the seat 14mounted thereon, can translate linearly in a horizontal plane inrelation to the mounting frame 30, between forward and rearwardpositions shown respectively in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

The carriage assembly 50 also includes a bearing plate 59, a traversedrive motor 60, and a traverse drive gearbox 62 driven by the traversedrive motor 60, as shown in FIG. 5. The traverse drive motor 60 and thetraverse drive gearbox 62 are mounted on the bearing plate 59. A drivegear 63 of the traverse drive gearbox 62 engages the gear rack 40 sothat activation of the traverse drive motor 60 causes the carriageassembly 50 to translate between the forward and rearward positions.

The carriage assembly 50 also includes a bearing shaft 66 mounted on thebearing plate 59, a bearing assembly 67 mounted on the bearing shaft 66,and an arcuate-shaped turnout rack 68 mounted on the bearing plate 59,as shown in FIG. 5.

The system 10 also comprises a base assembly 69, as shown in FIG. 5. Thebase assembly 69 includes a base pan 70. The base pan 70 is coupled tothe bearing shaft 66 by way of the bearing assembly 67, so that the basepan 70 can rotate in relation to the bearing shaft 66 and the carriageassembly 50.

The base assembly 69 also includes a turnout motor 72 and a turnoutgearbox 74 mounted on the base pan 70, as shown in FIG. 5. A spur gear75 of the turnout motor 72 engages a drive gear 76 of the turnoutgearbox 74. Rotation of the drive gear 76 rotates a spur gear 77 of theturnout gearbox 74. The spur gear 77 engages gears on the turnout rack68 so that rotation of the spur gear 77 causes the turnout gearbox 74,the base pan 70, and the seat 14 to rotate in relation to the bearingplate 59 and the floorboard of the motor vehicle 12. This featurepermits the seat 14 to be rotated between (i) a “non-rotated” position,shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, suitable for use as the seat 14 traversesbetween its forward, upper and rearward, upper positions; and (ii) a“rotated” position, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, suitable for moving the seat14 into and out of the motor vehicle 12, and raising and lowering theseat 14.

The system 10 also comprises a trolley assembly 90, shown in FIGS. 7, 9,and 12-14. The trolley assembly 90 includes trolley rails 92 secured toopposing sides of the base pan 70. The trolley assembly 90 also includesa trolley plate assembly 94. The trolley plate assembly 94 comprises twotrolley plates 95, and a cross brace 96 disposed between, and secured toboth of the trolley plates 95. The trolley plates are shown in FIGS. 12and 13; the cross brace 96 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 13. The trolley plateassembly 94 is mounted on, and translates linearly in relation to thetrolley rails 92 by way of bearings 97 mounted on the trolley plateassembly 94 as shown in FIGS. 7, 9, and 12.

The system 10 also includes a lift motor 100 mounted on the base pan 70,proximate a rearward end thereof as shown in FIG. 14. The system 10further includes a drive shaft 102 mounted on the base pan 70, proximatea forward end thereof. The drive shaft 102 is coupled to the base pan 70by way of bearings that permit the drive shaft 102 to rotate in relationto the base pan 70. The drive shaft 102 is depicted in FIG. 15. Asprocket on the drive shaft 102 is coupled to a sprocket on the liftmotor 100 via a chain 104, so that activation of the lift motor 100causes the drive shaft 102 to rotate.

The trolley assembly 90 also includes two substantially L-shaped racks108, as shown in FIGS. 4, 7, 9, 10, 12, and 13. The seat 14 is mountedon the racks 108 by way of spacers 110. Each rack 108 has gear teeththat engage additional sprockets 104 (shown in FIG. 15) on the driveshaft 102, so that rotation of the drive shaft 102 causes the racks 108to translate in relation to the trolley rails 92. The substantiallyhorizontal portions of the racks 108 are captured between the trolleyplate assembly 90 and bearings 111 mounted on the side plates 95, asshown in FIGS. 7 and 9.

The interaction of the drive shaft 102 and the racks 108 causes the seat14 to translate linearly, in the horizontal plane, between a retracted,or back position shown in FIGS. 1A-3, and an extended, or forwardposition shown in FIG. 4. The interaction of the drive shaft 102 and theracks 108 also causes the seat 14 to raise and lower between an upperposition shown in FIGS. 1A-3, and a lower position shown in FIG. 4.

For example, activating the lift motor 100 when the seat 14 is locatedin its rearward, upper, rotated position causes the drive shaft 102 torotate by way of the chain 104. The interaction of the sprockets 105 onthe drive shaft 102 and the horizontal portions of the racks 108 drivesthe racks 108, and the attached seat 14 horizontally, in the directiondenoted by the arrow 199 in FIG. 3.

Continued rotation of the drive shaft 102 after the seat 14 has beenextended fully out of the motor vehicle 12 causes the drive-shaftsprockets 105 to engage the substantially vertical portions of the racks108. The interaction of the sprockets 105 and the substantially verticalportions of the racks 108, in conjunction with the guiding effect of thetrolley plate assembly 94 and the bearings 111 on the racks 108, causesthe racks 108 to “climb down” the drive shaft sprockets 105, therebylowing the chair 14 in relation to the motor vehicle 12, to the positiondepicted in FIG. 4.

The racks 108 can be substantially straight, i.e., non-L-shaped, inalternative embodiments in which vertical movement of the seat 14 is notrequired.

Moreover, the lift motor 100 can be deactivated when the seat 14 hasbeen extended fully out of the motor vehicle 14, and before the seat 14begins to lower. The drive motor 60 can then be activated to move theseat 14 forward or rearward in relation to the motor vehicle 12. Forexample, the seat 14 can be moved forward or rearward to more closelyalign the seat 14 with a personal transportation vehicle, such as apower chair, located next to the motor vehicle 12. The lift motor 100can be reactivated when the fore-aft position of the seat 14 has beenadjusted, and the seat 14 can be lowered to a level suitable fortransfer of the user from the seat 14. The noted horizontal and verticalmovement of the seat 14 while the seat 14 is located outside of themotor vehicle 12 is hereinafter referred to as “planar shifting.”

Reversing the lift motor 100 after the chair 14 has reached itsrearward, lower position causes the racks 108 to “walk up” the driveshaft sprockets 105, thereby raising the chair 14. Continued rotation ofthe drive shaft 102 after the chair 14 reaches its upper position causesthe chair 14 to retract into the motor vehicle 12, in the directiondenoted by the arrow 198 in FIG. 3.

The drive motor 60, turnout motor 72, and lift motor 100 can beactivated simultaneously so that the seat 14 undergoes a combination ofrotational and linear translation that causes the seat 14 travel in acurvilinear path in relation to the motor vehicle 12. This feature canfacilitate navigation of the chair 14 around obstacles within the motorvehicle 12, such as door posts.

Alternative embodiments of the system 10 can be configured withoutprovisions to lift and lower the seat 14.

The system 10 can include provisions to return the seat 14 to itsforward, upper position manually, in the event the seat 14 cannot bemoved using the drive motor 60, turnout motor 72, and/or lift motor 100due to malfunctions thereof, loss of electrical power from the motorvehicle 12, etc.

For example, the turnout gearbox 74 can be pivotally mounted to the basepan 70, so that the turnout gearbox 74 and the turnout motor 72 canpivot about a pivot point 200 shown in FIG. 5. A spring 202 is connectedto the turnout gearbox 74 and the base pan 70. The spring 202 biases theturnout gearbox 74 and the attached turnout motor 72 in thecounterclockwise direction, from the perspective of FIG. 5. A lockingbolt 203 that engages the base pan 70 urges the turnout gearbox 74 inthe clockwise direction, against the bias of the spring 202, until thespur gear 77 of the turnout gearbox 74 engages the turnout rack 68.

The locking bolt 203 can be backed away from the turnout gearbox 74 sothat the bias of the spring 202 causes the turnout gearbox 74 to rotatein the counterclockwise direction, until the spur gear 204 disengagesfrom the turnout rack 68. The base pan 70 and the seat 14 at this pointcan be rotated manually to positions suitable for retraction of the seat14 in the motor vehicle 12, or movement the seat 14 to its forwardposition.

The traverse drive motor 60 can be pivotally coupled to the bearingplate 59, so that the traverse drive motor 60 can pivot in relation tothe bearing plate 59 about a pivot point 210 depicted in FIG. 5. Aspring 212 is connected to the traverse drive motor 60 and the bearingplate 59. The spring 212 biases the traverse drive motor 60 in thecounterclockwise direction, from the perspective of FIG. 5. A lockingbolt 213 that engages the carriage assembly 50 urges the traverse drivemotor 60 in the clockwise direction, against the bias of the spring 212,until a spur gear 214 of the traverse drive motor 60 engages a drivegear 216 of the traverse drive gearbox 62.

The locking bolt 213 can be backed away from the traverse drive motor 60so that the bias of the spring 212 causes the traverse drive motor 60 torotate in the counterclockwise direction, until the spur gear 214disengages from the drive gear 216. The carriage assembly 50 and theseat 14 at this point can be moved manually between their respectiveforward and rearward positions.

When the seat 14 is located in its lower position, or between its upperand lower positions when manual retraction is required, the seat 14 canbe raised to its upper position by rotating the drive shaft 102 using asuitable means such as a wrench or a socket, to back-drive the liftmotor 100.

The system 10 can include provisions to lock the seat 14 in its forward,upper position so that the seat 14 can withstand the impact loads thatcan occur in a motor vehicle accident. This feature can help the seat 14meet crashworthiness standards for passenger vehicles.

The seat-locking locking provision can be in the form of a dockingmechanism 300. The docking mechanism 300 can be mounted at the forwardend of the mounting frame 30, as shown in FIG. 1B. The docking mechanism300 can be mounted at this location, for example, in applications inwhich the seat 14 is to be used in the driver or front-passengerpositions in the vehicle 14, or in other applications in which it isdesired to lock the seat 14 in its forward, upper position.

The docking mechanism 300 includes a receptacle or yoke bracket 302, anda base 304 as shown in FIG. 12. The yoke bracket 302 and the base 304are fixed to the mounting frame 30. The yoke bracket 302 has side plates305 that define slots 306. The docking mechanism 300 also includes twodocking levers (not shown) positioned within the yoke bracket 302. Thedocking levers are pivotally coupled to the side plates 305, so that thedocking levers can pivot between a locking position, and a releasingposition.

The docking mechanism 300 also includes a solenoid (not shown) mountedon the base 304. The solenoid is coupled to the docking levers so thatactivation of the solenoid causes the docking levers to pivot betweentheir locking and releasing positions. The docking mechanism 300 alsoincludes a gusset assembly 314, as shown in FIG. 12. The gusset assembly314 can be fixed directly or indirectly to the chair 14. The gussetassembly 314 includes a plow bracket 316. The slots 310 in the yokebracket 302 receive the plow bracket 316 when the seat 14 is in itsforward, upper position as shown FIG. 1A. The solenoid 307 can beactivated to move the docking levers to their locking positions when theplow bracket 302 is positioned within the slots 306.

The docking levers, when in their locking positions, engage the plowbracket 316 so that the plow bracket 316 remains in the slots 306,thereby restraining the seat 14 in its forward position. The solenoidcan be activated to move the docking levers to their releasing positionswhen it is desired to move the seat 14 away from its forward position.

Additional details of docking mechanisms such as the docking mechanism300 can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,108,466 and 6,837,666. The contentsof each of these patents are incorporated by reference herein in theirentireties.

Alternatively, the docking mechanism can be positioned at the rearwardend of the mounting frame 30 in applications in which it is desired tolock the seat 14 in its rearward, upper position. A rearward-locateddocking mechanism 400 is shown in FIGS. 16-18, and includes a back plate402 fixed to rearward end of the mounting frame 30. The dockingmechanism 400 also includes a plow shaft 406 that extends between theopposing sides of the back plate 402.

The docking mechanism 400 further includes three pairs of plow links408, and three plow pins 410 that each extend between an associated pairof the plow links 408. The docking mechanism 400 also includes asolenoid 412 mounted on the back plate 402, and a plow tube 414. Thesolenoid 412 is coupled to the plow tube 414 by the center pair of plowlinks 408, so that actuation of the solenoid imparts rotation to theplow tube 414. Rotation of the plow tube 414, in turn causes the plowpins 410 associated with the outermost pair of plow links 408 totranslate between a locking position and a releasing position.

A trolley plate 94 a for use with the system 400 has hooked portions 420that defines spaces 422 that receive the outermost plow pins 410 whenthe seat 14 is in its rearward position, and the plow pins 410 are intheir locking positions. These features are depicted in FIG. 16. Thetrolley plate 94 a also defines slots 424 that receive the plow shaft406 when the seat 14 is in its rearward, upper, non-rotated position.The engagement of the hooked portions 420 and the plow pins 410restrains the trolley plate 94 a and the chair 14 from moving forwardfrom the rearward position. The engagement of the trolley plate 94 a andthe plow shaft 406 restrains the trolley plate 94 a and the seat 14 inthe vertical direction.

The solenoid 412 can be activated to move the plow pins 410 to theirreleasing positions, thereby permitting the trolley plate 94 a and thechair 14 to move forward from the rearward position.

The system 10 comprises a multilayer printed circuit board 500 thatincludes a portion of the electronics of the system 10. FIG. 20 is adiagram that depicts the logical functional grouping of the electronicson the printed circuit board 500.

The electronics and electrical components of the system 10 that are notintegrated into the printed circuit board 500 can include, withoutlimitation: rotary potentiometers 501 and limit switches 505 for eachindividual path or axis of motion of the seat 14; the drive motor 60;the turnout motor 72, the lift motor 100; a pendant connector port; aprogramming connector port; and wiring. The use of rotary potentiometers501 is disclosed for exemplary purposes only; other types ofposition-measurement devices can be used in the alternative.

Controller

The printed circuit board 500 comprises a controller such as amicrocontroller 502 shown in FIG. 20. The microcontroller 502 comprises,and executes the firmware that defines the motion of the seat 14. Themicrocontroller 502 is integrated with the communications, input, andoutput sub-systems of the printed circuit board 500.

The microcontroller 502 can be, for example, a computing deviceincorporated into a single integrated circuit chip. The microcontroller502 has dedicated non-volatile memory storage for configurationvariables, operational parameters, and manufacturer and serviceinformation. The microcontroller 502 has the capability to bereprogrammed in the field. This capability can be used, for example, toimplement firmware upgrades in the field.

Communications

The printed circuit board 500 comprises electronics for serialcommunications. The microcontroller 502 is electrically connected to aserial communications transceiver 504 and a line driver (not shown). Theserial communications transceiver 504 and the line driver facilitatecommunications between the electronics of the system 10, and an externalcomputing device 530 depicted in FIG. 28. The external computing device530 can be, for example, a personal computer.

Control inputs from the user can be generated using one or more of afirst wired pendant 503; a key fob 507, and a second wired pendanthereinafter referred to a manual-control pendant 509. The first wiredpendant 503, key fob 507, and manual-control pendant 509 are depicted inFIG. 20; the manual-control pendant 509 is also depicted in FIG. 28.Other types of control-input devices can be used in lieu of, or inaddition to the first wired pendant 503, key fob 507, and manual-controlpendant 509.

The key fob 507 can be used to initiate movement of the chair 14 undercertain types of control modes discussed below. The key fob 507 has aseries of buttons that, when pressed by the user, cause the key fob 507to generate control inputs for the system 10. The key fob 507 includes aradio-frequency (RF) key fob transmitter 508 that transmits the controlinputs as RF signals. The printed circuit board 500 includes an RFreceiver 506 that receives the RF signals. The RF receiver 506 generatesa control input for the microcontroller 502 based on the incoming RFsignals. The RF receiver 506 and the RF key fob transmitter 508 can usea hopping code scheme to help ensure that the inputs reaching theprinted circuit board 500 originate exclusively from the RF key fobtransmitter 508.

The first wired pendant 503 can be utilized in addition to, or in lieuof the key fob 507. The first wired pendant 503 can be used to initiatemovement of the chair 14 under certain types of control modes discussedbelow. The first wired pendant 503 is communicatively coupled to thecircuit board 500 by way of a cable 513, as shown in FIG. 28. The firstwired pendant 503 has a series of buttons that, when pressed by theuser, cause the first wired pendant 503 to generate control inputs forthe system 10. The control inputs are transmitted to the circuit board500 as a digital signal by way of the cable 513.

The manual-control pendant 509 can be used to control the movement ofthe chair 14 on a manual basis. This capability, as discussed below, canbe used to program a specific path for the chair 14 into themicrocontroller 502. The manual-control pendant 509 is communicativelycoupled to the circuit board 500 by way of a cable 515, as shown in FIG.28. The manual-control pendant 509 has a series of buttons that, whenpressed by the user, cause the manual-control pendant 509 to generatecontrol inputs for the system 10. The control inputs are transmitted tothe printed circuit board 500 as a digital signal by way of the cable515. The use of a six-button pendant as the manual-control pendant 509is described for exemplary purposes only; pendants having more or lessthan six buttons can be used in the alternative. The manual-controlpendant 509 is typically used only during programming operations. Thus,the cable 515 can be connected to the printed circuit board 500 by wayof a connector 531 that permits the cable 515 to be connected to anddisconnected from the printed circuit board 500 with relative ease.

Digital I/O

The printed circuit board 500 comprises digital input/output banks 510communicatively coupled to the microcontroller 502. The microcontroller502 uses the digital input/output banks 510 to control the variouselectronic components of the system 10, and to receive user and sensorinputs. In particular, the digital I/O banks 510 facilitate control ofthe drive motor 60, turnout motor 72, and lift motor 100 by way of powerrelays 512. In addition, the digital I/O banks 510 receive inputs fromthe first wired pendant 503, the manual-control pendant 509, limitswitches 505, and configuration jumpers 518. The digital I/O banks 510also receive audible/visible alerts, and pendant/programmer connectioninformation. All digital inputs to the digital I/O banks 510 containappropriate signal buffering and protection for the various electroniccomponents of the printed circuit board 500.

The power relays 512 are used to energize and de-energize the drivemotor 60, turnout motor 72, and lift motor 100 in response to inputsfrom the microcontroller 502, to facilitate movement of the seat 14 inthe desired direction. Two power relays 512 are provided for each of thedrive motor 60, turnout motor 72, and lift motor 100, to facilitateactivation and deactivation of each motor in the forward and reversedirections. A power relay 512 is also provided to facilitate release ofthe solenoid of the docking mechanism 300 or the docking mechanism 400.

The first wired pendant 503 can generate an output in the form of anIgnition Signal that commands the firmware of the microcontroller 502 toplace the system 10 in a “soft power-off” mode, or Listen State.Additional digital inputs to the digital input/output banks 510 can beused to indicate whether the manual-control pendant 509 or programmer isconnected to the printed circuit board 500, and the type ofmanual-control pendant 509 that is connected.

The printed circuit board 500 also comprises a set of jumpers 518communicatively coupled to the digital input/output banks 510. Thejumpers 518 provide the firmware with an indication of the configurationof the system 10, e.g., whether the system 10 is configured for front orrear docking. The firmware is responsible for interpreting the jumpervalues, and controlling the system 10 in a manner consistent with thesystem configuration.

The printed circuit board 500 includes an additional bank of digital I/Odevices referred to herein as auxiliary I/Os 520. The auxiliary I/Os 520include signal lines for an Interlock Input Signal and a Variable OutputControl Line Signal. Some of the auxiliary I/Os 520 are reserved forfuture expansion. The application level semantics of these signal linesis determined by the firmware logic described below.

Position Measurement Sub-System

The system 10 can include a position measurement sub-system fordetermining the location of the seat 14 along each of its axes ofmotion. The main drive gears of the drive motor 60, turnout motor 72,and lift motor 100 are coupled to the respective traverse gear rack 40,turnout rack 68, and one of the racks 108, as discussed above. Thetraverse gear rack 40 guides the traverse, or forward-aft motion of theseat 14. The turnout rack 68 guides the turnout, or rotational motion ofthe seat 14 about the vertical axis. The rack 108 guides the extensionof the seat toward and away from the door of the motor vehicle 12; andthe elevation, or vertical movement, of the seat 14. An additional gearis coupled to each of the main drive gears of the drive motor 60,turnout motor 72, and lift motor 100. The additional gear is connectedto the shaft of one of the potentiometers 501. The resistance value ofeach potentiometer 501 increases or decreases in proportion to therotation of the motor. The resistance of each potentiometer 501 can thusbe correlated to the position of the seat 14 in relation to the traversegear rack 40, turnout rack 68, or rack 108.

The potentiometers 501 are connected to an analog-to-digital converter522 of the printed circuit board 500 by way of protecting and filteringcircuitry. This feature enables the electronics of the system 10 tointerpret the voltage drop caused by the resistance of the potentiometer501 as a relative position on an axis.

The position measurement sub-system also incorporates the limit switches505. Each limit switch 505 is positioned at the innermost point of agiven axis of the seat 14. Each limit switch 505 is activated when theseat 14 is moved to the innermost point for the associated path. Thelimit switches 505 serve as an absolute measurement of the position ofthe seat 14. The inputs from the limit switches 505 are used inconjunction with the inputs from the potentiometers 501 to determine theabsolute and relative positions of the seat 14.

The firmware of the system 10 is configured to react toexternally-generated inputs and implement responsive actions on areal-time basis. The general architecture of the firmware is illustratedin a UML State Diagram presented as FIG. 21. The firmware allows thesystem 10 to be operated in a completely manual basis in which theoperator can individually control the motion of the seat 14 along eachof its three axes of travel.

The firmware has the ability to communicate with the external computingdevice 530. The way point path for the seat 14 can be programmed andpersisted to a non-volatile memory storage location on the circuit boardof the system 10 while the manual-control pendant 509 and the externalcomputing device 530 are connected to the printed circuit board 500.This feature permits play back of the pre-programmed path (referred toas “path following”) while the seat 14 is occupied by the passenger, tofacilitate easy ingress and egress of the passenger to and from themotor vehicle 12.

The chair 14 follows a pre-programmed path when operating in the pathfollowing mode, as noted above. The pre-programmed path is an orderedlist of way points read in at processor start up time (or upon requestvia the serial protocol) from the non-volatile memory store of theprinted circuit board 500. The firmware defines a way point as a 4-tuplerepresenting a seat position and is made up of the following components:the output value of the potentiometer 501 associated with the traverseaxis; the output value of the potentiometer 501 associated with therotational axis; the output value of the potentiometer 501 associatedwith the extend-elevation axis; and a bit mask encoding the state ofeach of the three limit switches 505. The firmware defines a set pointto be a zero-based index into the ordered list of way points, i.e., thefirst way point would be addressed by the set point 0. The firmwaremaintains two set points at all times. The inward set point defines theway point position to achieve while traveling inward, i.e., toward thedocked position, along the pre-programmed path. The outward set pointdefines the way point position to achieve while traveling outward alongthe pre-programmed path. Algorithmic usage of the pre-programmed path,way points, and set points are explained below.

The Listen State

The firmware has a default state in which the firmware listens for inputcommands and tracks major transitions in the positional state of theseat 14. The user-visible behavior of the system 10 while in the ListenState is that the seat 14 is idle, i.e., not moving. Referring to FIG.21, the following “events” trigger a transition from the Listen State toa specialized processing state.

1. When the Ignition Signal from the first wired pendant 503 is off andthe seat 14 is undocked from the docking mechanism 300 or the dockingmechanism 400, the firmware transitions into an Ignition Alert State.

2. When the seat 14 has moved from an “undocked” to a “docked” state ina discrete processing time period, the firmware transitions into aDocked Alert State.

3. When the external computing device 530 is connected to the serialcommunications transceiver 504 located on the printed circuit board 500and the incoming serial byte buffer is not empty, the firmwaretransitions into a Serial Message Processing State.

4. When the manual-control pendant 509 is connected to the system 10 andany of the buttons thereof are pushed, i.e., are in their “down”position, the firmware transitions into a Manual Motion Control State.

5. When the manual-control pendant 509 is not connected and a motioncommand is received from the first wired pendant 503 or the key fob 207,the firmware transitions into a Path Following Motion Control State.

The Ignition Alert State

The firmware enters the Ignition Alert State when the seat 14 isundocked and the Ignition Signal from the first wired pendant 503 isoff, i.e., the printed circuit board 500 is not receiving the IgnitionSignal from the first wired pendant 503. While in this state, thefirmware will assert an audible alert once every N seconds up to amaximum period of M seconds elapsed clock time. A typical configuration,for example, would set N=5 and M=30, for a total of 6 audible alerts.The audible alert can be generated by a suitable device such as a beeper532. The beeper 532 can be mounted on the printed circuit board 500, andcan generate a short beeping sound in response to an input from themicrocontroller 502.

Once the M-second period expires, the firmware remains in the IgnitionAlert State but will no longer assert the audible alert. Motion of theseat 14 is disabled in this mode. The seat 14 will transition from theIgnition Alert State back to the Listen State when the Ignition Signalis turned on using a switch on the first wired pendant 503.

The Docked Alert State

The firmware enters the Docked Alert State when the seat 14 moves fromthe “undocked” to the “docked” state in a single discrete processingtime period. While in this state, the firmware will assert “3 fastbeeps,” and will immediately transition back to the Listen State. Theaudible alert performed while in this state alerts the user that theseat 14 is safely docked. A safely docked seat 14 implies that thecrash-tested safety devices, e.g., the docking mechanism 300/400, havebeen engaged and the seat 14 is secured for vehicle travel.

The Serial Message Processing State

The firmware enters the Serial Message Processing State when an externalcomputing device is connected to the serial communications transceiver504 on the printed circuit board 500, and the incoming serial bytebuffer is not empty. While in this state, the firmware accepts requestmessages from the external computing device 530, carries out the action,and sends back a reply message to the originator of the message. Oncethis synchronous message exchange is completed, the firmware immediatelytransitions back to the Listen State. The firmware's ability totransition into the Serial Message Processing State along with aproperly formed serial byte stream allows for real-time diagnostics andpath programming of the system 10 from an external computing device 530.

The Manual Motion Control State

The firmware enters the Manual Motion Control State when themanual-control pendant 509 is connected to the system 10, and one ormore of the buttons of the manual-control pendant 509 are pushed. Whilein this state, the firmware reads the input signal from themanual-control pendant 509, consults the allowable motion movementcommands based on the current position of the seat 14, and eithercarries out the requested action, or idles the seat 14 when therequested action is not allowed. An example of a non-allowable requestedaction is a request to manually traverse rearward while docked, and theseat 14 is in a rear-docked configuration. The firmware, in carrying outthe requested action, translates the pressed button or buttons on themanual-control pendant 509 into an action in which one or more of thepower relays 512 are configured to activate or deactivate one or more ofthe drive motor 60, turnout motor 72, and lift motor 100 in a mannerthat causes the seat 14 to translate in the requested manner along oneor more of its axes of travel. The firmware immediately transitions backto the Listen State once the respective states of the power relays 512have been properly mutated based upon the input control command.

The Path Following Motion Control State

The firmware enters the Path Following Motion Control State when themanual-control pendant 509 is not connected to the printed circuit board500, and a motion input command is received from the first manualpendant 503 or the key fob 507. The Path Following Motion Control Stateis super-state which contains its own sub-state transition graph asdepicted in FIG. 21. The sub-states of the Path Following Motion ControlState are as follows:

1. The Localization State

The Localization State is the first sub-state the firmware enters whilein the Path Following Motion Control State. In the Localization State,the firmware evaluates the current position of the seat 14 within thecontext in which the motion command was requested. The firmwaredetermines whether the current inward and outward travel set points areaccurate with respect to the current position. If the set points areaccurate, the firmware transitions to the Input Pendant Selection State.If the set points are determined to be inaccurate, the firmwaretransitions to the Path Resumption State.

2. The Path Resumption State

The firmware, when transitioning into the Path Resumption State,operates based on an assumption that the inward and outward set pointsfor the path follower require adjustment. To adjust the set points, thefirmware checks whether the seat 14 is docked. If the seat 14 is docked,both the inward and outward set points are set to “way_point[0]” (thedocked position). If the seat is located in the planar shifting region,the inward and outward set points are set to “way_point[−1]” (the lastway point on the pre-programmed path). If the seat 14 is neither dockednor in the planar shifting region, the firmware calculates the closestset point on the way point path (excluding the docked position) to thecurrent position of the seat 14, and sets both the inward and outwardset points to that position. Once the inward and outward set points havebeen adjusted properly, the firmware transitions to the Input PendantSelection State.

3. The Input Pendant Selection State

While in the Input Pendant Selection State, the firmware makes thedecision to accept commands from either the RF key fob 207 or the firstwired pendant 503. If the first wired pendant 503 is not sending aninput signal, the firmware transitions to the RF Path Follow State. Ifthe first wired pendant 503 is sending an input signal, the currentposition of the seat 14 is evaluated to determine whether the positionis within the planar shifting region. If the seat 14 is positioned inthe planar shifting region, the firmware transitions into the WiredPendant Planar Shift State. If the seat 14 is not located in the planarshifting region, the firmware transitions to the Wired Pendant PathFollow State.

4. The Wired Pendant Path Follow State

The first wired pendant 503 has “IN” and “OUT” buttons thereon. Thefirmware, while in the Wired Pendant Path Follow State, interpretsinputs indicating that the IN or OUT buttons have been pressed ascommands to follow the pre-programmed path of the seat 14 (i) inward tothe docked position within the motor vehicle 12, or (ii) outward to theexterior of the motor vehicle 12, respectively. The path following iscarried out by consulting the current position of the seat 14, theappropriate directional set point (inward or outward), and the way pointthat the set point addresses. The firmware then properly mutates thestate of the power relays 512 to activate and deactivate the drive motor60, turnout motor 72, and lift motor 100 so as to move the seat 14 fromits current position to the desired set point position. The firmware,after the seat 14 settles to the desired set point position, adjusts theinward and outward set points as appropriate to enable the seat 14 tomove to the next way point on the pre-programmed path at the next statetransition into the Wired Pendant Path Follow State or RF Path FollowState. The firmware immediately transitions to the Listen State once thestate of the power relays 512 have been properly mutated based on theinput command.

5. The Wired Pendant Planar Shift State

The first wired pendant 503 also has “UP,” “DOWN,” “FORE,” and “AFT”buttons thereon. The firmware, while in the Wired Pendant Planar ShiftState, interprets inputs indicating that one or more of these buttonshas been pressed as a command to freely move in two dimensions at theexterior of the vehicle. The firmware then properly mutates the state ofthe power relays 512 to activate and deactivate the drive motor 60,turnout motor 72, and lift motor 100 so as to move the seat 14 in thedesired direction. The movement of the seat 14 in this mode is confinedby a set of points which define the top, bottom, foremost, and aft-mostpositions for two-dimensional translation. The limit points are enforcedin order to avoid a collision between the moving structure of the system10, and the structure of the motor vehicle 12 proximate the door openingof the motor vehicle 12. The drive motor 60, turnout motor 72, and liftmotor 100 are activated and deactivated by mutating the state of thepower relays 512. The firmware facilitates concurrent translation in thex (forward and aft) and y (up and down) directions in relation to themotor vehicle 12. The firmware also facilitates movement along a singledirection only. The firmware immediately transitions to the Listen Stateonce the states of the power relays 512 have been properly mutated basedon the planar shifting command.

6. The RF Path Follow State

The key fob 507 has “IN” and “OUT” buttons thereon. The firmware, whilein the RF Path Follow State, interprets inputs indicating that the IN orOUT buttons have been pressed as commands to follow the pre-programmedpath of the seat 14 (i) inward to the docked position within the motorvehicle 12, or (ii) outward to the exterior of the motor vehicle 12,respectively. The path following is carried out by consulting thecurrent position of the seat 14, the appropriate directional set point(inward or outward), and the way point that the set point addresses. Thefirmware then properly mutates the state of the power relays 512 toactivate and deactivate the drive motor 60, turnout motor 72, and liftmotor 100 so as to move the seat 14 from its current position to thedesired set point position. The firmware, after the seat 14 settles tothe desired set point position, adjusts the inward and outward setpoints as appropriate to enable the seat 14 to move to the next waypoint on the pre-programmed path at the next state transition into theWired Pendant Path Follow State or RF Path Follow State. The firmwareimmediately transitions to the Listen State once the state of the powerrelays 512 have been properly mutated based on the input command.

Path Programming Software

The Path Programming Software (referred to hereinafter as “thesoftware”) is a software application designed to be run on a personalcomputer, such as the computing device 530, running a mainstreamoperating system, e.g., Windows XP, Mac OS X, or Linux. Anappropriately-modified version of the software can also be used inhand-held operating systems, e.g., Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Qtopia, etc.The software communicates physically over a serial communications linewhich connects from the USB or serial port on the computing device 530or hand-held device to the serial communications transceiver 504 on theprinted circuit board 500. Logically, the software implements the SerialMessage Protocol which allows for bi-directional communications betweenthe firmware running on the printed circuit board 500, and the software.The following capabilities are enabled by the software.

1. Real-Time Diagnostics

The software can introspect all runtime parameters of the system 10 inreal time. These parameters are displayed back to the user on thedisplay of the computing device 530. Beyond simply displaying thevalues, the software has a priori knowledge of “good levels” and “badlevels” for the various runtime parameters are, and can visually alert atechnician as to the overall health of the running system based on thisknowledge.

2. Path Programming

The software enables an operator to program a path on to the seat 14 inthe following ways.

a. By using the manual-control pendant 509, the operator can manuallymove the seat 14 on any allowed trajectory, and the software will recordthat path and persist the path to the non-volatile memory storage of thesystem 10 for later playback.

b. The software has the capability of importing an XML encodedpre-programmed path, reading that XML from a stream, e.g., a file, anetwork socket, website, etc., and serializing that path on to thenon-volatile memory storage of the system 10 for later playback. Thisfeature permits factory-created pre-programmed paths for specificvehicles to be distributed to dealers and programmed into individualsystems 10, without the need to manually reprogram each system 10.

3. Configuration Backups

The software can connect to the system 10 after the system 10 has beenprogrammed, read in the configuration of the system 10, including thepre-programmed path, and save it to an XML stream, e.g., a file, anetwork socket, website, etc. that complies to the XML discussed above.This feature can facilitate the sharing of a common seat configurationamong multiple systems 10, without the need to manually program eachsystem 10.

OEM Vehicle Electronics Integration

The system 10 can incorporate a wire management sub-system that permitselectrical power to be routed to the various electrical components ofthe system 10 by way of a power cable 170 shown in FIG. 22. The wiremanagement sub-system can be expanded to accommodate additional cablingthat may be required when the seat 14 is an OEM seat that relies onelectrical inputs or outputs for functions such as seat beltintegration; airbags; occupancy sensors; position sensors; other safetysystems; heated seats, massaging seats; movable seat components; etc.

Integration of the OEM seat with the system 10 can be accomplished byfirst inspecting the OEM seat to evaluate the feasibility using the OEMseat as the seat 14. In particular, dimensional checks can be made toensure that the OEM seat can exit and reenter the motor vehicle 12 whenintegrated with the system 10; and to ensure that the OEM seat cancomfortably accommodate the user when integrated with the system 10.

After verifying that the use of the OEM seat is feasible, the wiring ofthe OEM seat can be inspected to determine the number of conductorspresent, the size (gage) of each conductor, and the function associatedwith each conductor. Special characteristics or requirements associatedwith the wiring, such as twisted conductor pairs or conductor shielding,should be considered when inspecting the wiring.

After the mechanical pathway for the OEM wring has been determined, awiring harness or cable 171 can be fabricated. The cable 171 should beconfigured with the proper number and gage of wire conductors based onthe specific requirements of the OEM seat to be used as the seat 12. Thelength of the cable 171 should be sufficient to facilitate routing thecable 171 to the OEM seat in the manner described below.

The individual wires within the cable 171 should be rated for at leasttwelve volts dc, in applications where the battery of the motor vehicle12 is a twelve-volt battery. The insulation of the wires should besuitable for operation within a temperature range of approximately −29°F. (−34° C.) to approximately 194° F. (90° C.); should meet or exceedS.A.E. specification J1128, Ford specification M1L56A and Chryslerspecification MS3450; and should be highly resistant to grease, oil, andacids.

The wire management sub-system can be incorporated into the system 10after the wiring requirements have been determined and the cable 171 hasbeen fabricated. FIGS. 22 and 23 depict the wiring managementsub-system, and illustrate the manner in which wiring for the system 10can be routed between the various components of the system 10. Inparticular, FIG. 22 depicts a power cable 170 that conducts electricalpower to the system 10 from a battery (not shown) of the motor vehicle12. The power cable 170 is housed, in part, within an articulating firstcable carrier 172. A first end of the first cable carrier 172 is fixedto the mounting frame 30. A second end of the first cable carrier 172 isfixed to the carriage assembly 50. The first cable carrier 172 protectsthe power cable 170 and discourages tangling of the power cable 170,while permitting the power cable 170 to flex as the carriage assembly 50moves between its forward and rearward positions.

An E-CHAIN® cable carrier, available from IGUS® Inc., of EastProvidence, R.I., can be used as the first cable carrier 172. Othertypes of cable carriers can be used in the alternative.

The power cable 170, upon exiting the second end of the first cablecarrier 172, is routed through a wire pass through 181 in the bearingshaft 66, as shown in FIG. 23. The wire pass through 181 acts as a meansfor routing the power cable 170 between the rotating and non-rotatingstructure of the system 10.

The power cable 170 is subsequently routed to the printed circuit board500. In particular, the power cable 170 can terminate in an electricalconnector (not shown) that mates with a complementary electricalconnector 184 on the printed circuit board 500. Other electricalconnectors 186 mounted on the printed circuit board 500 can be use toroute the electrical power to the various electrical components of thesystem 10, including the drive, turnout, and lift motors 60, 72, 100,and the docking mechanism 300 or 400.

The wire management sub-system can also be used to route the cable 171that carries electrical inputs and outputs to and from the OEM seat thatis to be used as the seat 14. In particular, the wire managementsub-system can include a second cable carrier 174 as shown in FIG. 22.The second cable carrier 174 can be substantially identical to the firstcable carrier 172, and can be positioned side by side with the firstcable carrier 172 as depicted in FIG. 22. The cable 171 is housed, inpart, within the second cable carrier 174. A first end of the secondcable carrier 174 is fixed to the mounting frame 30. A second end of thesecond cable carrier 174 is fixed to the carriage assembly 50. Thesecond cable carrier 174 protects the cable 171 and discourages tanglingof the cable 171, while permitting the cable 171 to flex as the carriageassembly 50 moves between its forward and rearward positions.

The cable 171, after leaving the second cable carrier 174, can be routedthrough a third cable carrier 176 shown in FIG. 23. A first end of thethird cable carrier 176 is fixed to one of the trolley rails 92. Asecond end of the third cable carrier 176 is fixed to the trolley plateassembly 94. The third cable carrier 176 protects the cable 171 anddiscourages tangling of the cable 171, while permitting the cable 171 toflex as the seat 12 translates between its retracted, upper positionshown in FIGS. 1A-3, and its extended, lower position shown in FIG. 4.

The wire management sub-system also includes a guide 179 fixed to thesame trolley rail 92 as the first end of the third cable carrier 176.The third cable carrier 176 passes through the guide 179 as the seat 12translates between its retracted and extended positions.

The cable 171, after leaving the third carrier 176, can be routedthrough a fourth cable carrier 178. A first end of the fourth cablecarrier 178 is fixed to the cross brace 94 of the trolley plate assembly94. A second end of the fourth cable carrier 178 is fixed to a frame 187upon which the seat 12 is mounted. The fourth cable carrier 178 protectsthe cable 171 and discourages tangling of the cable 171, whilepermitting the cable 171 to flex as the seat 12 translates between itsupper and lower positions.

The OEM seat can be integrated with the system 10 after the cable 171has been routed in the above-described manner. The individual wires ofthe cable 171 can be connected to the corresponding wires of OEM seatafter the cable 171 has left the fourth cable carrier 178, as follows.The connections should be made paying particular attention to wire gage,twisted or shielded pairs, and colors. The battery of the motor vehicle14 should be disconnected for at least 20 minutes prior to making theconnections.

Wiring connections the OEM seat can be made as follows:

1. On the OEM seat cut each individual wire approximately six inchesfrom the OEM connector;

2. Strip ¾-inch of insulation from the ends of all wires on the seat andthe OEM connector;

3. Strip ¾-inch of insulation from the wiring at each end of the cable171;

4. Before the corresponding wires of the OEM seat, the OEM connector,and the cable 171 are connected, place a two-inch long piece of heatshrink tubing over each wire at each end of the cable 171, as shown inFIGS. 24 and 25;

5. Connect each OEM wire to its mate on the cable 171 using a standardinline splice. The wire colors in the cable 171 may not match the colorsof the corresponding wires of the OEM seat. The installer should matchthe OEM wires that connect with each end of the cable 171 with a commoncolor wire in the cable 171. For example, the OEM wires can be matchedwith the wiring in the cable 171 as follows:

OEM connector wire Cable 171 wire OEM seat wire blue/yellow blueblue/yellow blue/green green blue/green yellow/blue yellow yellow/blue

6. Using rosin core solder (appropriate for electrical connectivity)solder each of the joints, as shown in FIG. 26;

7. After the joint cools slide the heat shrink tube over the joint.Using a heat gun shrink the tubing over the soldered connection, asshown in FIG. 27;

8. Assemble the OEM Seat onto a seat adapter plate of the system 10

9. Plug the OEM connector into its mating connector in the vehicle; and

10. Reconnect the battery of the motor vehicle 12 and check the system10 for faults.

The wire management sub-system discussed above can also be utilized inapplications where a non-OEM seat is used as the seat 14.

The foregoing description is provided for the purpose of explanation andis not to be construed as limiting the invention. Although the inventionhas been described with reference to preferred embodiments or preferredmethods, it is understood that the words which have been used herein arewords of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation.Furthermore, although the invention has been described herein withreference to particular structure, methods, and embodiments, theinvention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosedherein, as the invention extends to all structures, methods and usesthat are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in therelevant art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification,can make numerous modifications to the invention as described herein,and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A seating system, comprising: a frame mountable on a mounting surfacewithin a motor vehicle; a carriage assembly mounted on the frame andtranslating linearly in relation to the frame; a base assembly mountedon the carriage assembly and rotating in relation to the carriageassembly; a trolley assembly mounted on the base assembly andtranslating linearly in relation to the base assembly; and a seatmounted on the trolley assembly.